Legislation renames section for killed officer, dog

Legislation introduced Monday would rename part of Interstate 15 in Riverside County for late California Correctional Officer Sgt. Gilbert Cortez, Sr., who was killed in a traffic accident along with his K-9 partner earlier this year.

Sgt. Gilbert Cortez, Sr. and Mattie

Cortez, 46, and Mattie, a Belgian Malinois, were killed in an automobile accident on State Highway Route 79 near San Felipe Road in San Diego County on March 25.

Cortez, an Eastvale resident who had worked for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation since 1990, had been leading three K-9 teams in separate cars driving south in San Diego County on their way to conduct a contraband search of La Cima Fire Camp. Cortez and Mattie died when his car rolled off the road in the Warner Springs area.

The resolution by state Sen. Richard Roth, D-Riverside, would designate the stretch of I-15 from Second Street in Norco to Limonite Avenue in Eastvale as the Sergeant Gilbert Cortez, Sr. and K-9 Mattie Memorial Highway.

If the measure passes, donations would pay for the signs.